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Tornado outbreak of April 4-6, 2017 (WMHB TG)
The Tornado Outbreak of April 4-6, 2017 was a record-breaking, catastrophic tornado outbreak that dropped many tornadoes in over 2/3 of the Contiguous United States. The outbreak led to an EF5 tornado touchdown in Georgia, the first ever recorded in the state. Similarly, in South Carolina, their first ever EF5 tornado touched down. In the overall storm complex itself, heavy, slow-moving rains caused moderate to major flooding in some portions of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Significant tornadoes Inola, Oklahoma A supercell developed over the Coweta area around 3:32 pm local time, moving NE at 28 mph. Just 3 minutes later, a severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Wagoner and Rogers Counties until 4:00 pm (CDT). Softball-sized hail was reported in Northern Wagoner County, not too much before NWS Tulsa issued a tornado warning after reports of rotation over rural Wagoner County. This tornado warning was issued to expire at 4:15 pm (CDT), and sirens sounded in the Inola area. However, the siren in Inola had malfunctioned and stopped working, and it was concluded that it was out of date. The City of Inola was unable to pay for a new tornado siren due to being economically poor. A debris ball began to appear on radar around 3:52 pm (CDT), and a confirmed touchdown came less than a minute later. The tornado struck the town of Inola at 3:55 pm (CDT). The tornado inflicted the worst damage on poorly-built homes, but the overall damage to some of the more well-built buildings was consistent with high-end EF2 damage. Due to the malfunctioning of the tornado sirens, a total of 16 fatalities occurred, mainly due to the unawareness of the tornado warning. At 3:57, the tornado moved out of Inola, and later lifted at 4:01 pm just to the northeast. Unadilla-Hawkinsville, Georgia A line of supercells formed in the Mississippi/Louisiana region on the evening of April 4, which eventually made its way into Southern Georgia on midday April 4. One supercell in particular caused an EF2 tornado in Americus, which caused 6 injuries. Although the Americus tornado had lifted, the tornado warning was extended further into Dooly County, where spotters began to report a funnel near Byromville, moving ENE. Sirens sounded in Unadilla just as the tornado warning was issued for the area. At 12:13 pm (EDT), a small tornado had touched down about 2 miles NE of Byromville, heading ENE at 22 mph. Spotter report numbers from the area had began to explode as the tornado suddenly widened out and appeared to have become much stronger. Almost simultaneously, the next radar scan showed a well-defined debris ball with tight rotation as shown on radar. At this site, a farmhouse was levelled, and outbuildings were completely swept away. A wedge tornado was confirmed moving straight for Unadilla, and the NWS Office in Peachtree City issued a tornado emergency for the Unadilla area. A tornado warning was extended at 12:20 pm (EDT) for Pulaski County and Bleckley County, as the tornado had the potential to be "long-tracked and dangerous", and ordered for anyone in the warning area to take cover immediately. In the rural areas of Dooly County, 1 fatality occurred. At 12:24 pm (EDT), the tornado had crossed I-75 entered the Unadilla area. The tornado at this point was at least 3/4 mile wide and growing as it strengthened. Storage warehouses off of I-75 were entirely swept away, along with a motor company and several other businesses immediately after. On the very edge of the tornado, on the south end of Unadilla, several stores and restaurants sustained major roof damage, and was consistent with EF2-EF3 damage. As the tornado closed in on downtown Unadilla, a small area consisted of 10-15 homes, were completely swept clean off of their foundations, and was rewarded with EF5 damage, the highest ever rating in the State of Georgia's history. The tornado gradually weakened as it moved into downtown Unadilla, and the damage was consistent with mid-range EF4 damage. At 12:30 pm (EDT), the tornado exited Unadilla. Overall, the tornado caused 24 fatalities and 68 injuries in Unadilla alone. An estimated 85% of Unadilla suffered either damage or destruction. The tornado continued to slim out and weaken as it moved south of Browndale as an EF3 tornado. Most of the damage done near Browndale was done to trees, with the occasional heavily damaged home or destroyed outbuilding. The tornado slowed down some more, to a speed of about 17 mph as it moved straight toward Hawkinsville with estimated winds of 135 mph. At 12:43 pm (EDT), the tornado entered northern Hawkinsville, causing extreme roof damage to at least 60 buildings. The tornado caused 2 fatalities and 10 injuries in Hawkinsville, with estimated winds of 125-130 mph. At 12:46 pm (EDT), the tornado exited Hawkinsville, and significantly began to weaken. The tornado entered Pulaski County, just north of Hartford. The tornado lifted at 12:51 pm (EDT), northeast of Hartford. The tornado broke the long held record of strongest tornado in Georgia, becoming the first EF5 tornado in the state's history. Overall, the tornado caused 27 fatalities, and 80 injuries.